A recruiter explains how to make your resume stand out

A recruiter explains how to make your resume stand outA recruiter explains how to make your resume stand outRecruiting big thinkers with small egos in product, customer support, marketing, engineering admin at Intercom.I stumbled upon this job description while doing research on Linkedin, looking for recruiters I could interview and talk about resumes. I read it out loud and thought, Wow, Id love to talk to this part. Luckily, Ewa Zajac from Intercom was eager to chat about what a truly impactful resume should include and even what an ATS friendly resume is.Shes been a part of Intercoms recruitment team for over 3 years and has a long list of achievements. Aside from optimizing job descriptions, creating a full hiring cycle, and sourcing world-class engineers, she is actively reviewing applications, interviewing candidates and managing the hiring process for them right up to offer stage. Its no surprise she has some strong opinions about what a great resume should be.How Guns N Rose s could get you hiredI kicked our chat off by admitting that I stalked zu sich on Linkedin and Twitter, but as a recruiter who does that sometimes, Ewa didnt mind. I discovered she has a hintergrund in psychology, which helps her with many tasks as a recruiter. The one thing that I loved about her profile was that she shared her passions. It appeared she plays guitar and sings in a band in her free time. Theyre doing covers of classic and modern rock and as the biggest fan of Guns N Roses, I instantly knew wed get on well.Seeing her passions helped me relate to her and transform a typical interview into a friendly conversation. Her face lit up the moment she began talking about her band, much the way it later did when she discussed her work. If she was applying for a job at , Id definitely hire her. The fact that we shared the same passions wasnt as important as the ways in which they manifested themselves.It demonstrates that this person has a learning attitude, they have a growth mindset, they want to experience new things and generally improve in some way, she pointed out.But the main focus of a top resume is the job and the company ones applying for (something Ive written about before).How to make your resume stand out Focus on the paths you took and the decisions you made along the wayIn Ewas eyes, a good resume means the other person is able to see a career progression, get a general sense of what this persons comfortable with, and what would be stepping outside of their comfort zone in terms of their experience. In her opinion, job seekers dont focus on that enough. In case youre about to craft a resume, Ewas advice is to think about the followingWhat you can do or what you have done in the past that demonstrates that this is the right move for you? Add some embellishments to show your personality.Dont put your entire life on your resume.Then ask yourselfWhy do I want to work there? Do I know anything about what they do? Do I know anything about their p roduct?As a recruiter, she wants to seeWhy did you go and work in a particular job?What was the most interesting thing about it?What was your biggest achievement in that particular job.?When you decided to go and change it to a particular job, what did you bring with you?What were the new things that you learned? Related articlesHow I got an internship at Tesla5 Tricky As Hell Job Interview QuestionsAnd How To Answer Them RightPros and Cons of working in a startupShow what makes you awesome, why are you a kick-ass candidate?To answer this I asked Ewa for an opinion of one of s signature sections, Most Proud Of. It was great to hear from such a successful recruiter like herself that its a good idea to spice a resume up with this non-traditional section. She thinks that depending on the level of experience, people should focus on different things within their Most Proud Of. I definitely think that once you have a few years of experience behind you, your Most Proud Of should be related to that career path. For example, if I was looking at a resume of someone whos been a product manager for six years, I would expect their top three Most Proud Of to be related to that area. If they were unrelated, Id be a bit dubious. A resume should be a positive thing.To the mora junior candidates with no or little experience, shed recommend sharing more personal things. Its a way of advertising yourself to someone else. Show what makes you awesome, why are you a kick-ass candidate, she added enthusiastically. Demonstrating your motivation for the job is often key if youre lacking in experience.An ATS friendly resumeAn Automated Tracking System (ATS) is a tool that helps many recruiters to organize their work and divide resumes into groups, depending on companys needs. Chances are, every company uses their own specific way of grouping resumes through an ATS.But Ewa has strong feelings about ATS its not a tool to review resumes. I review all incoming resumes, taking into account m any other elements of the candidates profile, other than just the keywords. However, all ATSs are searchable and your resume can be retrieved by a recruiter at a later time when a suitable role comes up, even if your application was rejected initially. Ewa recommended the following to ensure you come up in searches Instead of trying to guess specific keywords for each company, look at keywords that are specific to the profession or the role that youre applying for.She thinks Linkedin is a great tool for that. With a simple search, you can find people who have the same profession that youre applying for. What skills and competencies appear time and time again? Write them down and try to incorporate them into your resume. Its good to keep in mind that one profile is never enough, look at several people. She also made a great point about job titles. Often, I see that people use creative job titles, especially in companies that promote equality. (Our COO calls himself a Chief Harmonizer , for example.) If you use an unusual job title for your previous positions, things become even more ATS un-friendly. When you then search for other jobs, you get rejections. Nobody knows that you worked in a relevant position because youre not calling it what it really is. Thats why its a good idea to keep your job title the old and boring one, at least when applying to big companies which are more likely to use an ATS. You can keep a creative and funky description of your responsibilities and achievements though, Ewa pointed out.Selling yourself to employersSeth Godin says You are not your resume, you are your work. As much as Id like to believe hes right, a resume is still one of the top tools that help you sell yourself to employers. And in Ewas eyes, a good resume has the perfect balance between the amount and depth of information you share. This allows her to make a good judgement of who you are as both professional and individual. It also helps her do what she loves help cand idates to find the jobs that are really great for them and help the geschftlicher umgang and our hiring managers to find the right people. And thats very satisfying.*note, this article was originally published in November of 2017 ?? But at the end of the day, it depends on who your audience is and what represents you as a person the best. The good thing about is that you can choose your sections, name them the way you think your audience would receive well, hide the icons in case you think its not appropriate, hide the profile picture and other visual elements. On a resume, what matters the most is the content. The visual part is just something to help you stand out. My advice would be check the requirements for the business school, research them a bit what kind of people work there, how do they describe themselves, what language do they use? This will help you understand what type of resume theyd appreciate. Also, go ahead and check our case studies section Enhanced Lives on th e blog there, you will be able to see less visually appealing resume examples. I hope this helps ?? ReplyLeave a Reply Cancel replyYour emaille address will not be published. Required fields are marked *CommentName * Email * Website Subscribe now for moreSee more great content and inspiring examples of resumes done right each month. 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These are the 15 cities with the most $100K+ jobs in December 2018

These are the 15 cities with the most $100K+ jobs in December 2018These are the 15 cities with the most $100K+ jobs in December 2018Though General Motors just announced plans to lay off more than 14,000 employees in North America, unemployment across the country is still low and there are plenty of great opportunities out there.However, certain cities may have more lucrative opportunities than others which is why Ladders put together a list of the 15 cities hiring the most $100K+ jobs in December using data from its continuously updated database of high-paying jobs.Check them out - and click through to see which cities and theirjob openingsthat might be right for you.1. San FranciscoJobs available 28,917You definitely need one of behauptung $100K+ plus positions as certain counties in the Bay area labelsalaries of $100,000 as low income. Check out unterstellungjobs in and aroundSan Francisco.Sample job Salesforce Architect for Cynet2.New York, NYJobs available 23,325There are plenty of opportunities already and Amazon hasnt even moved in yet (they are slated to create 25,000 jobs in New York City.) Check out thesejobs in and around New York.Sample jobMachine Learning Engineer3.Washington, DCJobs available 17,478The FBI is relocating some of its jobs from DC to Alabama but there are lots of federal and state government jobs in and around DC still..Check out thesejobs in and around Washington.Sample job Federal Web Developer for Accenture4. Boston, MAJobs available 13,802Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta says the labor force is growing rapidly to meet the needs of employers. Check out thesejobs in and around Boston.Sample job Technical Support Engineer for Cannon Search Partners5.Los Angeles, CAJobs available 12,942This sunny city has plenty of jobs available in finance, sales, and content marketing. Check out thesejobs in and around Los Angeles.Sample job Director of Business Development for multinational Network Recruiting6. Chicago, ILJ obs available 11,555The winters are a little harsh but youll be OK cause youll have a great job. Plus Salesforce plans to add1,000 new jobs over the next five years at their new offices in downtown Chicago.Check out thesejobs in and around Chicago.Sample job VP of Sales Network Security for Cube Management7. Seattle,WAJobs available 8,986There are more companies than Amazon in Seattle. In fact,Seattle has the most tech jobs with more than 33,000 openings in 2016 and 2017. This is more than ersatzdarsteller San Franciscos during those years. Check out thesejobs in and around Seattle.Sample job Data Warehouse Engineer forBeyondtekit8. DallasFort WorthTXJobs available 8,819With many corporate giants having their headquarters in North, TX there are plenty of great jobs to choose from. Check out thesejobs in and around Dallas.Sample job Mobile Developer for Copart9.Philadelphia, PAJobs available 8,600One of our nations most historic cities is looking to hire in many different industries . Plus good news According tonew data,Pennsylvania is one of the most fun states to live in. Check out thesejobs in and around Philadelphia.Sample jobCertified Genetic Counselor for Hess Associates10.Atlanta, GAJobs available 7,964Georgia unemployment recently reacheda 17-year low and with it being hometo more than a dozen Fortune 500 companies there are so many jobs here. Check out thesejobs in and around Atlanta.Sample job Controller for ThyssenKrupp11.Denver, COJobs available 6,405Though Denvers tech scene is getting a lot of attention, their retail andrestaurant industriesare also actively hiring.Check out thesejobs in and aroundDenver.Sample jobCommission Specialist for Compass12.Houston, TXJobs available 5,177Houston added 7,100 jobs in October and added 6,300 jobs in September dropping the unemployment rate down to 3.8%.Check out thesejobs in and around Houston, TX.Sample jobFamily Medicine Physician for Houston Methodist Hospital13. Minneapolis-Saint Paul, MNJobs available 4 ,402Zip Recruiter called Minneapolis the best job market for those who want to work with small to medium-sized businesses. Check out thesejobs in and around Minneapolis.Sample jobIT Scrum Master for Express Scripts14. Austin, TXJobs available 4,183In addition to a strong job market it is also one of the top housing markets to watch in 2019.Sample jobSenior Electrical Engineer forPageSoutherlandPage15. Baltimore, MDJobs available 4,020Maryland has seen an improvement in its job market overall but Baltimore still struggles. The statesunemployment ratewas 4.1% as of October.Sample jobDirector, Commercial Finance forJWM Group, LLC

Free Contemporary Dancer Resume Template

Free Contemporary Dancer Resume TemplateFree Contemporary Dancer Resume TemplateAre you ready to land a great dancing job at a contemporary company? If so, youll need the contemporary template to showcase your skills and talents. The contemporary template focuses on highlighting your forward thinking in the dance realm. If youve ever been a trailblazer or experimenter, youll have plenty of chance to show it with this resume template. If you are applying to a company that prides itself on forward thinking, this is the template for you.Create ResumeCustomize ResumeWhat to Include in a Contemporary Dancer ResumeWith the contemporary template, you want to showcase your forward-thinking attitude regarding your dance niche. If youre an instructor, talk about the new learning techniques you brought into the classroom. If youre a dancer, include evidence of your experimentation with new styles. With this resume, feel free to get creative with the setup and presentation. Remember to focus on your merits and experience. Use the sections above to get started with your resume, but feel free to add relevant sections as needed. Common additional sections are achievements and professional credentials.Common Resume Fails Mistakes to AvoidLack of Proofreading For a contemporary resume, proofreading means catching typos and formatting errors. If youve created graphic or special formatting, consider sending your resume in a PDF to preserve the format and design on any computer.Lack of Focus Dont get too caught up in the adventure of a contemporary resume template. Your resume should ultimately highlight your fruchtwein compelling skills and experiences as a dancer.No Bullets Paragraphs and block formatting make your resume visually unappealing and difficult to read. Clean up your format for easy scanning using bullet points where you can. This will make it easier to glean information from your resume at a glance.No Keywords What kind of dancer is your ideal employer looking for? Include keywords that apply to your ideal position. For example, you might identify yourself as an Experienced Jazz and Modern Dancer to ensure you attract the right employment offers.Negativity Remain completely positive throughout your resume. Even if you are a bit worried about your qualifications, project confidence to attract employers to your resume. With the right tone, many employers will be willing to give you a chance to shine.Unnecessary Information Leave off any information related to your hobbies or personal interests. If you have dance experience, you can consider excluding unrelated jobs held during college or secondary school. Also, dont include references on your resume these should be part of a separate document and provided only when asked for.Resume Content Jason Williamson 213 Steep Hill Drive, Peter Township, NY 11111 555.555.5865 jwilliamsonanymail.net Summary Experienced Dancer with 15 years of classical ballet training and four years of professional experie nce with a thriving ballet company. Experimental artist familiar with wide range of contemporary styles. Strong ability to learn choreography quickly and excellent stage performance. Seeking employment with contemporary ballet company with opportunities for professional development and advancement. Highlights Classical and Modern BalletJazzTapHip HopBallroom Dance StylesExperience Dancer 1/1/2014 6/1/2016 777 Modern Dance Company Peter Township, NY Performed experimental dances involving minimalistic theory. Participated in wahlweise improvisational dance master classes. Implemented new choreographed improvisation technique for stage performances. Collaborated with head choreographer on winter show. Dancer 1/1/2011 12/1/2013 TTT Dance Company Copper, NY Danced in the choir during all seasonal productions.Traveled with the mobile company to perform around the East Coast.Choreographed experimental pieces for companys Upcoming Artists exhibition.Acted as assistant stage manager du ring summer productions.Attended optional choreography master classes.Maintained clean and neat practice rooms for the company. Education Bachelor in Dance PerformanceJack C. James Colleges of the Arts, Copper, NY

How (and Why) Companies Use Blind Auditions to Hire

How (and Why) Companies Use Blind Auditions to HireHow (and Why) Companies Use Blind Auditions to HireIf youre job-hunting and find out that youre going to have a blind audition, youll probably wonder exactly what that means, and how blind auditions work. Blind auditions are a tool employers use to screen job applicants based strictly on the job and the candidates qualifications for it. Blind auditions are an effective way for companies to screen a variety of job applicants in an objective manner. The theory behind implementing blind auditions is that recruiters may otherwise pick applicants who are more like themselves than they are different. Research indicates that employers tend to select candidates who have gone to comparable schools or possess similar background characteristics.The consequence is that employers miss out on talent that doesnt fit that traditional mold. The Goal of Using Blind Auditions When using the blind audition method, organizations screen applicants wit hout accessing information about colleges attended, previous employers, age, gender, race, ethnicity or socio-economic status. With this approach, recruiters can focus on skills, knowledge and other assets directly related to job performance. The job interview or audition typically requires applicants to complete some schriftart of work sample, such as solving a skills-based problem. Work samples generated through the blind audition process are given the highest priority in the screening process since they provide concrete evidence that candidates can perform the tasks associated with the job. Many employers who implement blind auditions use software that strips resumes or applications of identifying information and bias-inducing indicators. They have applicants answer work assessment questions and complete challenges to provide evidence of their skills, knowledge, and approach to projects.Examples of challenges include writing a case study, editing a document, creating a computer p rogram to execute a function, or designing a website. Employers gain the benefit of weeding out casual applicants and those without a strong work ethic, while job seekers can be assured they wont be unfairly prejudged. Common Blind Audition Software GapJumpers, a leader in the field, has produced a customizable platform for employers to conduct blind assessments of candidates. Employers can tap questions and challenges provided by GapJumpers or devise their own.GapJumpers research indicates that blind auditions yield a more diverse pool of candidates.For example, GapJumpers reports Positive bias in hiring female candidates likely exists due to their performance on the auditionand due to lack of diversity on the teams that they are applying to. (Approximately) 69.2% of preferred candidates from blind auditions were females.Due to lack of expert guidance, counseling, and self-confidence, community college applicants performed poorly relative to others during in-person interviews. Applicants respond to challenges anonymously, and employers review the results of their assessment prior to viewing more traditional profile information. The system employs a plagiarism checker, Google Knowledge Index, to verify the authenticity of candidate responses. Blind Audition Tips for Job Applicants Review these tips for how-to success1. Read the directions carefully and follow them completely.2. Note the time constraints and make sure you complete the tasks within those parameters.3. Outline or map out your approach to the problem offline.4. Complete as much of the task as possible offline prior to making system entries.5. Check your submission for errors including spelling and grammar prior to finalization.6.There may be challenges that have no right answer. Explain your approach and the rationale for the option you have selected. Apply your strategy consistently to the problem.7.Consult resources and ask for help as needed, but dont copy content. Answer based on your own skills and qualifications for the job. Implementing Blind Auditions Without Software Not all companies have the budget to purchase and implement a new software package for hiring purposes. There are a few guidelines that can keep the spirit of the blind audition process, which can be performed manually. Set a hiring goal If youve noticed that certain job positions have some type of imbalance, such as few females in executive roles, make a goal to use blind auditions for these jobs.Choose which information to make blind Good starting points include resume information such as college location, name, address, and graduation year.Train hiring managers and recruiting staff Teach techniques to spot and avoid unconscious bias, and how to ask interview questions that are skills-based.Start with just a few positions The blind audition process will require good design, practice, feedback, and fine-tuning. Resist the urge to take the initiative company-wide until its been worked through su ccessfully on a small scale. Measure the results Collect data on new-hire demographics, such as age, race, gender, and retention. Ask for feedback from candidates, and discuss results with HR staff as part of the fine-tuning process.

Are you a rock star at work or a backup singer

Are you a rock star at work or a backup singerAre you a rock star at work or a backup singerIn the workplace, we often call someone who is a huge success a rock star. But that also means they wouldnt have reached their true success without their backup team. While theres merit in each ort depending on yur skillset, its just a matter of finding the one that works best for you.I decided to ask someone who is both of these things simultaneously to help us understand the differences. Chef Austin* is cofounder of Bennetts Butter Co. His day job is at a large tech company that feeds their employees breakfast, lunch and dinner from scratch every day across the world.Backup singer at work, rock star side hustleI help design and build out their kitchen and cafe spaces, Austin said. I get to look at the latest equipment and trends in food and work with local chefs to design the most state-of-the-art kitchens.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, P roductivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreAnd thats what inspired his side hustle. I decided to get started on developing compound butters when I welches in culinary school a few years ago. Id come home and cook for my family with the butters I was creating, and Id leave the leftovers with my family to test out. They would tell me how much cooking with the butters instantly improved and elevated the flavor of their meal while cutting prep time.Austins first production run was in November 2018, but as far as recipes and packaging, its always a work in process as we work with new vendors and flavors. I am always looking for the next best thing. And hes always doing it while totenstill working at a more traditional job as well.Rock star takeaway Pay attention to what people are telling you to improve your product. Even if youre the productThe benefits of eachAustin said he loves his day job where, for all intents and purposes, hes a corporate backup singer because of its inc redible culture, opportunities, ability to constantly learn, network, and grow. Although I am in a supporting role, I still take pride and ownership of my day to day responsibilities and feel like I can be incredibly effective and successful.And while he wears many hats in his corporate life, Austin said Its nowhere as many as compared to the different roles I need to play at Bennetts Butter.Backup singer takeaway Even when part-time, its fine to take pride of ownership in your group accomplishments.Managing your professional personalitiesAs a food entrepreneur, Austin recognizes just how much of a team effort it is producing, marketing and bringing a new product to market. While it is very much a team effort, its a much leaner team and operation spearheaded by myself and my co-founder and sister Bess, and we both bring different strengths and talents to the table.During the day Im operating from a position of power because of the size of and resources at my company, while my side h ustle is very much a startup within an industry thats incredibly challenging to break into.Rock star takeaway Garage kapelle or arena headliners, you still need your backup crew to make you shine.Being a rock star isnt all its cracked up to beFor anyone whos dreamed of being in the spotlight, Austin thinks you need to know that Its unbelievably humbling. I am constantly putting myself out there, working until the wee hours of the morning and not always seeing instant gratification.Sometimes things dont go as planned, and its all about problem-solving, being nimble and getting partners and vendors to adjust to the needs of a growing business and not getting discouraged. You have to work through it and persevere.Rock star takeaway Being the person who represents a brand also means the added hassles and headaches involved in perfecting your product.Its all about teamworkWhether youre producing hit singles or gourmet butter, you cant do any of it on my own. Austin said My sister Bess is an integral of the success of Bennetts Butter. We work as a team, and both have our strong suits, recognize what they are, and divide and conquer accordingly. For example, as a trained chef, I own recipe development and food production. Bess has a sales and marketing background which has been instrumental in handling those aspects of the business.And more than that, even if theres a single face to any brand, Austin reminds us that theres a lot more to Bennetts than Bess and me. Were fortunate to have an amazing network of people weve met through both our professional personal lives who have been integral in growing and scaling our business. This ranges from our packaging and paper guru and finance experts to our sales broker, graphics and web designers, photographers, and PR rock star.Rock star takeaway Remember the backup singers. Theyre the ones who support your time in the spotlight*Since hes still employed at a global tech corporation, for the purposes of this article well only use his first name.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

The Hidden Facts on Executive Assistant Resume Skills

The Hidden Facts on Executive Assistant Resume Skills Comparable to time management, admin assistants want the skill of being in a position to plan strategically. To ensure that your time is correctly allocated and planned, its important you have good time administration. Update it to demonstrate your bosses you can care for the business without needing constant supervision. To find that opportunity, you are going to require a terrific administrative assistant cover letter. Sending a card or a beinahe email creates a huge impression and might even open a door to some other opportunity. Lots of people who have to compose a resume while applying for their very first job have hesitations since they arent certain what information to include and what things to lead off with. Carefully inspect the job requirements to obtain a notion of how the resume ought to be focused. Executive Assistant Resume Skills the Ultimate Convenience Make it simple to find out what a fantastic Human Re sources manager youre. Thus the reverse chronological type is the greatest Human Resources Assistant resume format you may utilize. Past the experience section, you have to include things like the all-important Computer Skills section. Finding the very best candidate is not a simple endeavor. For instance, if youre a recent graduate, you should include your degree, or in case youre a seasoned HR professional, you may want to incorporate a section for special projects. For instance, HR Assistance if youre targeting an HR Assistant position. While its the case that theres plenty of administrative work to be done, an HR Assistant does a lot more Type of Study for Course Program The candidates who wish to pursue in the area of administrative or executive fields can opt for short term and long-term program, which lasts for a single year. How to Choose Executive Assistant Resume Skills After all, youre searching for a position with a bit more clout than your ordinary assistant. Y ou will be happy you did the groundwork later. The difference between an excellent assistant and a good assistant is their capacity to anticipate needs and total vital tasks without having to be asked. Breaking down the number of tasks youve accomplished or the quantity of top-notch executive assistant skills youve mastered at work may look like the most arduous mission youve undertaken, but you have to acquire busy as a way to craft a standout resume. Professional experience is quite important, especially if you prefer to be an executive assistant. Any superior executive worth their salt would know a great candidate right away by simply browsing through the resume. ur resume builder will provide you with tips and examples on the best way to compose your resume summary. The company should know they can trust you to be the face and voice of different employees and even the corporation. Therefore, exhibiting some sort of private attachment to the organization and working that i nto your cover letter increases your chances. Some people might believe that fancy is better, but in the event of a thriving executive resume, easy and professional is the best way to go. If you have a look in the samples career objective you will see that the candidate provides some crucial information from the get-go. Each work experience incorporates necessary facts, like the work title and the dates of employment. While applying for any job, youre judged entirely on the grounds of your resume. Experience Related with Job The candidates that are going through the training program need to acquire at least 3 to 5 decades of experience, which is necessary for work in a business, after completing the training they can acquire the mandatory experience thats also valuable for them to find entry level status in the organization. They must exemplify the highest level of professionalism and expertise in a wide range of office procedures. The more skills a candidate has, the less th ey will have to be trained and the faster they will have the ability to donate to the firm. As for the practical skills are concerned, they are required to have proficiency in computer skills, official functions, flair and smooth communication skills, in some cases candidates should know the typing skill. The Hidden Truth About Executive Assistant Resume Skills Following that, it ought to impress the hiring manager with information which is related to them. File audits needs to be done at least annually. Administrative assistants and executive assistants are available working in schools, government agencies, and company settings across a wide scope of industries. Many HR departments utilize cloud based technology to control their employee records.

Company Career Site 101 How To Reach The Best Talent

Company Career Site 101 How To Reach The Best TalentIn the not-so-distant past, a website was a nice to have feature for a geschftsleben. It was something that enhanced your presence online and made you seem more professional, but if it didnt exist, no one raised an eyebrow. Today, a company without a website will find that recruiting is nearly impossible. Even those that have a website that looks poorly maintained or unprofessional will find that the page becomes a detriment to the business over time. Not only will potential employees have a difficult time learning about the position in the first place, but theyll probably also feel skeptical about the company. So if youre going to spend the money to create a company website that looks and feels legitimate, what should it entail? There are a few things to considerWho will be using it?Of course you want to have potential employees in mind as you construct the site, so the platform should function as a recruiting tool. However, a corp orate website can easily be multifaceted and multi-functional. While youre reaching potential new hires, why not try to reach new clients or investors too? Tell a compelling story and you will target multiple audiences.Who will be updating it?Many professionals enter into their businesss web design ventures with good intentions. The site will be updated weekly with fresh content and new blogs. There will constantly be new photos for visitors to browse. Then reality sinks in and everyone in your company is busy with their day-to-day to-do lists, and suddenly the website hasnt been touched in three months. When youre working on a companys site, its important to think realistically about what will happen to the project when its launched. Who will update it and how often? From there, you can decide what kinds of features would be most appropriate. Do you have the staff available to add new, weekly content, or is it better to construct a few evergreen features that can get touched monthl y or even every other month and still make sense when visitors check it out? Nothing looks worse than a New Noteworthy section featuring articles that came out three years ago.If your website is outdated, itll make recruiting impossible.Click To TweetThe elements every website needs to succeedRegardless of the size of your business or the industry in which you operate, there are a few elements every companys website should include. These elements areA web-adresse thats easy to remember Those interested in getting more information about your business should be able to type a few keywords into Google and find you. However, ideally, they should easily remember your URL and go directly to your site. If your URL is cumbersome, you might lose interested applicants who tried to find you, but gave up somewhere along the way. Your URL is directly tied into your brand. Make sure its sleek and makes sense.Clear, concise information about what your business is all about Regardless of how well known your company is, you still need to provide basic details about who you are and what you do. Your website should tell visitors what kinds of projects you work on, what kinds of clients you take on, what your staff is like, what your goals are, what your vision and values are, and where you hope to be in the future. Never assume that everyone knows and that this information isnt necessary.A site that makes sense to the visitor If you have drop-down menus filled with tabs and pages that link to other pages that link to more pages, dont be surprised when your site doesnt do much to bolster recruiting efforts. Ultimately, your website should be as user-friendly as possible. You want to quickly provide information to visitors in a logical way.Contact information If someone wants to get in touch with you, what should they do? Who is in dienstgrad of each department within your organization? Where can an interested applicant submit a resume for consideration? Put these details in a co nspicuous spot on your site.A careers section If youre in the market to add talent to your team, let your businesss website do some of the heavy lifting for you. Active job seekers will head to your companys site to scope out potential career opportunities within your organization. Give them plenty of information when they arrive. Build a Careers section on your site where you can elaborate beyond just a job title and a few short lines about what the position entails. Paint a picture for them about what this role is like. What kinds of projects would they be involved with should they take this job? What personality types typically do well in this role? What kind of growth potential is available? How can they apply if theyre interested? Even if you dont currently have any open spots within the business, use the Careers section to write about the types of talent you typically look for, and let interested job seekers know how they can submit their materials for consideration in the fut ure. Its always useful to have a stack of resumes on hand for when jobs do become available in the future.A mobile-friendly version Its no secret that were becoming increasingly dependent on our smartphones. Consider your own usage habits. How often are you on a laptop or desktop compared to your cell phone? With this in mind, its important to ensure that your website looks great on any screen, from smartphone to tablet and beyond. If you really want a competitive edge, make it easy for job seekers to apply for a position within your company right from their mobile device.Personality Of course, your site should feel professional. You dont want potential job seekers to wonder if the business is buttoned-up enough to sign their paychecks should they accept an offer. But theres a difference between professional and boring. If you truly want to recruit the best talent your industry has to offer, your business will need to set itself apart from the competition. One way to do this is by c rafting engaging content to schirm on your companys website. Make sure your copy embodies your brands voice. Are you innovative and creative? Write like that. Are you fresh and optimistic? Make sure your content reads that way.Put a face to the brand Detailed descriptions about the business, its clients, and its goals are helpful, but ultimately, potential new hires want to know what their experience would be like if they got an offer to join your organization. Help them put a face to the brand. Show pictures of actual employees in the office, playing in the company-wide softball league, or at a conference together. You can also give your team a chance to contribute to the site in the form of an employee blog. It could be informative, with employees giving their insights on industry trends, or more light-hearted and focused on whats new around the office. This takes your businesss site to the next level and adds a human element. Suddenly, it becomes much easier for a job seeker to i magine themselves coming to work each day at this office.While the copy you include on your site should be carefully constructed, theres no need to limit yourself simply to words as you try to give potential employees a sense of what your business is all about. Many professionals find that putting together a visual element is a more powerful way to give a three-dimensional look at your brand. For example, you could include a video that shows footage of the office, your employees, and what daily life is like. Show clips of meetings, brainstorming sessions, and employees goofing around in the cafeteria. Include a photo gallery featuring pictures of events or tradeshows your business has put on, awards youve won, and employees at work. A mixture of candid and professional shots works well, and they can be updated throughout the year as new events come up.Videos on your career site can give job seekers an idea of your companyculture.Click To TweetHow to make sure potential employees are finding your new siteOnce you create a new site that youre proud of, one thats filled with engaging content, up-to-date images, and enough personality to really illustrate what your brand is about, its time to shift your focus. Its great to spend time and attention on your businesss website, but this energy can feel like a waste if no one ends up visiting it. So what can you do to ensure that your organizations website shows up easily during a Google search?Focus on quality content Google constantly changes its algorithms and has become even more focused on the text that appears on your site when it considers rankings. In years past, you could focus solely on building a beautiful website the content was an afterthought. Today, you need to worry about both design and content if you want your site to rank well on Google and other search engines. If youre not sure that you have the in-house capability to create the quality content necessary for the site, consider outsourcing the writi ng project to a freelance copywriter.Get specific with your keywords Most people understand that rankings are all about keywords. You want to target these phrases in your content, your headlines, and even in your image tags. However, if the keyword youre targeting is massive, youre probably going to be joining millions of other businesses in clamoring for a good position when someone searches for this keyword. Because of this, its often wiser to get narrow with your keywords. Instead of hoping to rank well when someone searches for marketing, you might focus your efforts on ranking well when someone searches for small business marketing in Dallas, instead.Is it easy for potential employees to find your career page on Google? SEOClick To TweetMake sure theres not too much Flash Flash can make a website look aesthetically pleasing to a visitor. Unfortunately, the robots that scan the site and decide where it should end up on a search engines rankings have a notoriously hard time proce ssing it. As a result, you might fall to the lower portion of a list if your site is peppered with Flash animation. There are plenty of ways to make a site pop visually, without relying too heavily on a Flash component.Give it some time If you build a brand new site, launch it, and expect to show up on every search engine within 24 hours, youll be in for a significant disappointment. Youll need to give it time for your new site to appear on these various search engines. Thats why its best to build and launch the site significantly before you need to begin using it as a recruiting tool.In some instances, sites that dont rank well have issues with the way they were coded when they were first designed. They might also not be communicating with search engines properly. If youve got a site thats not too Flash-heavy, is filled with great content, and has been around for a while, yet still isnt ranking well on search engines, its probably worth having a conversation with a professional web designer. They can offer technically proficient feedback about what you can do to ensure that your site is getting the attention of top tier talent in your industry, rather than getting buried under billions of other webpages.While creating or redesigning your businesss website can seem like a massive undertaking, its important to understand the significance of the time investment. The site can act as a powerful recruitment tool for potential new employees. Add a Careers section, and suddenly you can offer detailed information about open positions within your business. Build a portal where interested individuals can submit resumes and cover letters, and you can collect materials from active job seekers, regardless of whether you have an open job. This makes hiring much easier the next time you have a spot to fill. The site also assists with branding, as it allows you to highlight the companys voice, vision, and employees. Develop a site with a clear plan in mind and youll find that tech-savvy job seekers are glad to put it to use.What are some other ways to improve your company career site? Share in the comments below

This study explains why so many of your emails go unanswered

This study explains why so many of your emails go unansweredThis study explains why so many of your emails go unansweredA new workplace study by Bahareh Sarrafzadeh of the University of Waterloo, Canada, and Ahmed Hassan Awadallah, Christopher H. Lin, Chia-Jung Lee, Milad Shokouhi, and Susan T. Dumais of Microsoft, reveals some interesting data regarding the psychology of email deferrals.To conduct the study the team interviewed workers from various positions on the professional food chain, including product managers, researchers, software developers, and interns-all employed by Microsoft.From being too wordy topassive unclear language to following up too frequently, Ladders unpacks the recent workplace study to determine the headspace of the professionals that chose to put our emails on the pay no mind list.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWhy do so many emails go unanswered?Acc ording to the survey, people delay responding to 37% of emails that require an answer. The process of going through unhandled email and deciding what to do with it, is what the researchers define as email triage. Email triage often promotes response procrastination.When we receive an email, a series of questions immediately occupy our brain. If we do bedrngnis have a sufficient amount of time to address these inquiries we are likely not to respond at all. Some of these questions includeDo I know the answer?Does this email require a task to be done?What is the complexity level involved?Does it require context shifting?Can I handle it independently?The study adds by saying that emails that require careful reading often go unresponded to as well, a point observed in an independent study recently reported on by Ladders. In that particular analysis, the author determined that emails that are brief, to the point and additionally intimate a quasi-familiar rapport garner better response rat es.In general, professional emails should avoid dense language and overly technical jargon. However, this new study suggests that adding a clear deadline to the body ofyour email can motion the right kind of urgency.Email recipients that put off responding to emails due to anxiety will probably be annoyed by too many follow up emails, so try and make your first shot as concise as possible. Occasionally employers ignore emails simply because they assume someone else will get to them. I dont imaginemuch can be done in these instances.Understanding email deferral could have implications on understanding how people interact with their email and designing email clients and mit niveau agents to help people with managing and organizing their messages, conclude the authors of the study.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule t hat will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Career Advice I Wish I Got as a New Grad

Career Advice I Wish I Got as a New GradCareer Advice I Wish I Got as a New GradTo the roughly 1.6 millionsoon to be graduates in the United States congratulations and good luck to you. The real world can be scary I know the fear all too well. In fact, this June marks my second year of entering the workforce. I graduated with not much of plan just to get a reputable job and make a living. I took risks, made mistakes, and learned from them ultimately, I ended up with a job I truly enjoy. However, behauptung last two years also taught me a thing or two about setting the foundations of a career. You probably have heard the basics make a good impression at work, leverage your network, etc. but, there are a still a number of things I learned in the last two years that I found to extremely valuable as a newly graduated member of the workforce. Here are some of those insightsBe decisiveThe most important decision I made right out of college is which industry to pursue. I was a Bioinforma tics major deciding between pursuing biology or technology. I began to realize that I needed to spend time in one field to gain valuable skills in that field. What that means is the longer you spend in one industry, the more industry-specific skills you gain. This comes at the opportunity cost of spending time gaining skills in another industry. As such, changing industries demands a switching cost, which is directly proportional to how much time you have invested in the industry.That said, it is true that as a new graduate, you can change industries relatively easily. So feel free to experiment with fr sichships and volunteer activities. However, manage your career changes carefully. Every time you change, you start over in specialized experience and skills. So, choose an industry that engages you, that you can envision a lasting career in and that you are comfortable committing to.Make a 5-year planHaving a 5-year plan helps inform your local decisions, and gets you thinking in te rms of your career as opposed to your job. I was fortunate enough to have the coveted problem of evaluating multiple job offers. My decision was made easy because I knew what my career goals were and I chose the opportunity that was most in line with those.Even if youve not yet started your job search, do yourself a favor and think through your plan. Be honest with yourself assess your strengths, weaknesses, passions and qualifications. Think about your life plans and income goals. Given your needs, brainstorm on paths to achieve your goals, leveraging your talents and qualifications. Be as specific as possible- what are your six-month, one-year, two-year, three-year and year milestones? Its a good idea to have a plan or direction in mind for your career.Take action on your planUltimately, you can plan all you want, but actions help you discover what you want to do. If your 5-year goal is to become the a researcher at a renowned lab, then intern for a few months at a research lab, m ake connections and learn as much as you can. Do not pass up opportunities just because they dont pay as much as you would like. Evaluate opportunities as they come- do they align with the goals you have listed in your plan? Take opportunities that offer a chance to get your foot in the door, learn as much as you can, network as much as possible and increase your value in connections and knowledge.Take measured risksYou have probably heard the saying, Big Risks = Big Rewards. To a certain degree, this saying also applies to career growth. Do not dismiss a career path because of perceived risk. More often than not, the path isnt as hard as people think it is. Its up to you to analyze the reward and risk to decide if it is a risk worth taking. Think about what the worst-case scenario would be to pursue the path. If this scenario has temporary consequences such as getting fired, losing a small amount of money or experiencing discomfort it is a risk you should be comfortable with. If th e scenario involves long-term consequences such as permanently damaging your reputation, losing of all your money or ruining your career, it is not worth the risk.Be niceNever underestimate people skills. Other people control resources, information and opportunities. You could be an extremely adept junior consultant, but you will get passed over for that coveted promotion if people dont like working with you. Its just as important to be friendly, kind and agreeable as it is to be smart and capable. To build a successful career, take it a step further and be helpful. Dont be afraid to explicitly ask a coworker what you can do for them. They will remember your help, they will genuinely like you and they will be ready to help you when you need it.

A Marathon Strategy Pays Off for Plant Manager

A Marathon Strategy Pays Off for Plant ManagerA Marathon Strategy Pays Off for Plant ManagerOpsLadder member Crista Stamper used her hobby as a runner to set the pace for her job search.For Crista Stamper, finding a new position after being laid off became a marathon rather than a sprint. Thats why she turned to her long-time running hobby as inspiration. Like many job seekers her age, 50-year-old Stamper, a former chief quality officer for Birmingham, Ala.-based Heil Environmental, which manufactures refuse- and recycling-collection vehicles, had very little experience searching for employment.Id never really looked for a job, and my job-hunting experiences were fairly limited, she said. Stamper, a Michigan native, went to work for General Motors after college, and luck seemed to prevail each time she was ready to consider changing employers.There were a few positions Id held after GM, one of which I got because I happened to pick up the Detroit Free Press and answer a want ad, Stam per said. In another case, a recruiter shed used to vet potential employees contacted her and offered her a position.Setting the paceThis economy, however, presented new challenges for Stamper, and it wasnt as easy to land even an interview, much less a job. First, Stamper said she reached out to former colleagues and recruiters but quickly realized that many of those recruiters didnt have jobs to recommend. It was then she knew shed have to take a different approach.This market is so treacherous. Id never really been in the job market before, so I never had to develop any job-hunting skills she said. So Stamper, who has been an avid runner for 25 years, decided to fall back on her favorite activity for inspiration, and set a marathon strategy. Each day, she followed a set job-search routine with the ultimate goal being two solid employment offers after two months.I was laid off in January, and I told myself, Im going to job search methodically every day. Before I run every morning, Ill apply for three jobs, and then my run will be my reward, she said.Hitting her strideOpsLadder allowed Stamper to focus on operations jobs in plant management and afforded her the tools she needed to accurately track and follow up on the jobs shed researched and applied for.Stamper also signed up for Ladders mail alert service, which sent her fresh job leads that matched her criteria as they were posted on the site. She even participated in the complimentary resume-critique service.The home stretchStamper reached her goal, garnering two solid job offers by the end of March 2009. She began her new position as plant manager for P H Mining Equipment, a manufacturer of excavating and drilling machines headquartered in Milwaukee, on April 20. Even in a tumultuous economy, Stamper said the position is a step up from previous jobs, and it will allow her to further refine her management skills.In the manufacturing industries, Stamper said, there are still plenty of opportunities for j ob seekers, even as the domestic automobile, food-processing and medical-supply manufacturing segments shrink.As high-volume automotive downsizes, theres going to be a flood of folks with general skill sets available, Stamper said. From her perspective, these workers just have to invest a little more energy into educating themselves on the nuances of specialty manufacturing industries to mine opportunities there.Specialty, low-volume but highly customized manufacturing is where the jobs are right now, and people need to sharpen and focus their skill-sets so they dont get locked into one general area of manufacturing, she advises.She adds that even for job seekers with a generalized manufacturing background, even gaining a few specialized certifications can do wonders for people looking to develop skills in niche industries.Crossing the finish lineIn addition, Stamper said perseverance and a positive attitude are also crucial to a successful job search.I really think because I was so diligent and persistent that it made a huge difference, she said. You cant be alive today and not know someone whos been laid off, so you have to keep yourself positive in any interview, and make that a great first impression, she said.